Missile launching assembly



Oct. 27, 1964 R. w. VILLERS MISSILE LAUNCHING ASSEMBLY Filed June 20, 1961 Fig. 2

Fig. 8

INVENTOR. ROY W. VILLERS United States Patent 3,153,979 MISSILE LAUNCHmG ASSEMBLY Roy W. Viilers, Ventura, Califi, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Fitted June 20, 1961, Ser. No. 118,475

6 Claims. (Ci. 89-4137) (Granted under Title 35', US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a missile launching assembly and more particularly to a launch device for launching a missile from a body of water.

Firing missiles from a body of water is a relatively new launching technique. One of the problems encountered in such a launching has been to separate the missile the right time after firing from the hardware used to float the missile in the water. The present invention provides a launching device which is capable of launching and directing a missile from a body of water without attaching any buoyant material to the missile itself, thus eliminating the problem of separating the buoyant material from the missile after firing. This is accomplished by providing a base member for supporting the missile with numerous guides extending from the base for directing the missile, the buoyancy being provided by fixing buoyant material between the guides. Freedom of the missile as it leaves the launching device is obtained by spreading the guides apart so as to give more latitude to the missile as it becomes independent of the launching device. While it is intended primarily that the missile be fired from a body of water, it is to be understood that the launch device and missile combination can be operated from a land site, the buoyancy of course not then being a consideration as it would be in a water launch.

An object of the present invention is to provide an assembly which will stably launch a missile from a body of water.

Another object is to provide an assembly which will support a missile in a body of water and guide the missile therefrom after it is fired.

A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly for launching a missile from a body of water without attaching any buoyant material to the missile itself.

Still another object is to provide a launching assembly which will progressively give a missile more freedom after it is fired therefrom.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a missile being fired from the launching assembly in a body of water;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the launching device with the missile therein;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2 the missile being shown in phantom;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an independent portion of the launching device;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of one of the guides used in the launching device;

FIG. 7 shows an end view'of the guide shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows an end view of FIG. 2 taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 shows an end view of the launching device and missile after the missile is fired.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 2 a missile 12 disposed in a launching device 14, the missile having four fins 16. Four pairs of guides 18 are rigidly fixed to a base member 20 and extend along and past the missile 12. Each pair of guides 18 has surfaces 21 which are spaced so as to sliding receive a respective fin 16 of the missile. Accordingly, each pair of guides provides a track which directs the fins 16 as the missile is moved along the launching device 14. The two guides between any two fins 16, as seen consecutively about the missile, are rigidly fixed together by webs 22, a series of four webs being located at two places along the launching device.

Each two guides between any pair of fins are bonded together by a section of buoyant material 28, this material extending from below a nose portion 30 of the missile to a top end 32 of the launching device. The amount of buoyant material is such that the launching device with the missile therein floats in a body of water. The buoyant material is located along the guides so as to position the missile substantially upright in the water.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper portion of each section of buoyant material 28 is quarter round in shape. Below this the buoyant material conforms to the shape of the nose 30 and a body portion of the missile so that when the sections are positioned as shown in FIG. 2, they will be in surface contact with the exterior skin of a missile.

A shown in FIG. 6, each of the guides 18 has an end plate 36 which is fixed at an angle (such as 1.5) thereto. The end plate in turn is joined to the base 20 by bolts 38. The position of the angle on the base 20 is such that the guide 18 is biased toward the missile proper rather than toward the surfaces of the fins 16. This arrangement maintains rigidity to the over-all assembly prior to and during the launch of the missile. Each face 21 of the guides 18 is coated with a layer of Teflon so as to reduce sliding friction between the guides and the fins 16. The base 20 has an opening 40 which is of such a size as to adequately vent the exhaust gases of the missile after it is fired.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the guides 18 are angle irons as shown in the drawings, however they may take any form so long as a sliding face is presented to both sides of the fins 16. The buoyant material may be cork, however some form of plastic polycellular material is preferred. In either case, the buoyant material is covered with a fiberglass coating around its exterior so as to maintain its shape, and decrease its porosity.

In the operation of the device, the entire assembly, including the missile, is placed in a body of water at which time it will assume an upright position with the nose 30 of the missile above the base 20. A top-end view of the missile and launching device 14 before firing the missile is shown in FIG. 8. After firing, the missile travels away from the base 20 along the guides 18, the surfaces 20 of the guides confining the fins 16 therebetween so as to di: rect the missile along the launching device 14. As the missile moves away from the base 2%, the nose 3% thereof pushes in the proximity of each point 44 on the sections 28 of the buoyant material. As the nose 30 is forced up past these points 44, each section is bent outwardly with respect to the missile so as to spread the faces 20 adjacent each of the fins 16. This spreading action is progressive as the missile departs from the launching device and its action provides additional fredom to the missile as it assumes with its own power the direction imparted to it by the launching device. A typical view of the top end of the launching device and missile, after the missile is fired, is shown in FlG. 9 wherein each section 28 has been forced outwardly by the enlarging cross section of the nose 3% past the points 44. By exhausting the rocket end of the missile through opening ab in the base 20, the exhaust gases will not cause any damage to the launching device 14, thus rendering it reusable for numerous launchings. By fixing a releasable annular strap around all four sections 23 so as to hold them in position as shown in FIG. 2, the launching device with the missile contained therein can be easily transported to an intended launch site. FIG. 1 is a typical view of the entire assembly in water with the missile projecting from the launching device after firing.

It is now readily apparent that the invention provides a simple and eflicient device for launching a missile from a body of water. This can be accomplished with an ordinary type of missile having fins without attaching the buoyant material to the missile itself. The launching device provides a predetermined direction to the missile and yet at the same time gives freedom to the motion of the missile after it undertakes to maintain its own direction.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A device comprising an elongate missile having a conical-shaped nose portion merging into a cylindricalshaped body and a plurality of fins spaced from one another in the proximity of a tail end of the missile about said missile, the tail end resting upon a base member, a plurality of elongate guides fixed to the base and extending therefrom along the missile with a group of two guides located between any two tail fins as seen consecutively about the missile, each of the fins having two substantially identical faces which extend from the missile body, each guide having a surface which is substantially adjacent a respective face of a fin so that each fin is confined to a space between the guides, each group of guides having a section of buoyant material fixed thereto and extending therebetween, the sections of buoyant material collectively being of such an amount so as to float the device in a body of water and being positioned along the device so as to float the device in the water with the nose of ti e missile substantially vertical over the missiles tail end, the buoyant material being shaped about the nose portion when the missile is resting on the base so that upon the missile leaving the base the nose will force the buoyant material outwardly with respect to the missile so as to spread the guides away from the fins, a plate fixed at an angle to a respective end of each guide and means for joining each plate to the base so that the guides are biased toward the missile and said base having an opening so that upon firing the missile the exhaust will be vented through said opening.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each guide is an angle iron having two sides meeting at a common corner edge, the corner edges being in the proximity of the missile body with one side of each angle iron forming the face adjacent the fin and the other side being directed along a line substantially tangent to the missile body.

3. A device for launching an elongate missile from water wherein the missile has a nose end and a rocket nozzle end, said device comprising: a plurality of elongate rails, means fixing the rails in a substantially open framework which will receive the missile and provide a support therefor for handling purposes when the missile is horizontally disposed, the rails engaging the missile for guidance purposes when the missile is received within said framework, means attached to the rails for supporting the missile in an upright position within said framework, means attached to the rails for floating the framework and the missile in the water with the missile oriented with its nose end above its nozzle end, said rails being of sulficient strength to support the missile in the water in its oriented position whereby upon launching said missile from said device the rails guide the missile in the direction in which it is oriented in the water and the exhaust gases from the nozzle end are dissipated through the open framework to minimize damage to the missile and said device.

4. A device for launching a missile wherein the missile has a curved nose, said device comprising: a plurality of elongate members, means fixing the members together so that surfaces along their lengths will engage the missile for guidance purposes, said members being free at one end and of sufficent resiliency to be separable from one another at the free ends, means fixed to the members for supporting the missile in engagement with the members, rigid means rigidly attached respectively to each member for partially enclosing at least a portion of said nose when said missile is supported by the supporting means, whereby upon supporting the missile on the supporting means and then firing the missile, the members will initially guide the missile and then by a camming action of said nose on the rigid means will spread the members apart to provide the missile more freedom as the missile leaves said device.

5. A device comprising: a missile having a curved nose and a plurality of fins thereabout, means supporting the missile, a plurality of elongate guides fixed to the supporting means and extending therefrom along the missile, the guides being located in pairs between the fins with each guide in a pair engaging a respective side of a pair of adjacent fins, the pairs of guides being free at one end and of suihcient resiliency to be separable from one another at the free ends, at least a portion of the device between the guides within a pair exposing the missile to a surrounding environment, rigid means rigidly attached respectively to each pair of guides for partially enclosing at least a portion of said nose, means for floating the device in a body of water with the nose end of the missile above the nozzle end whereby upon disposing the device in the water and firing the missile the guides will initially confine the fins so as to direct the missile along a direction assumed by the missile in the water and then spread apart to give the missile freedom as it leaves the supporting means.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the means for partially enclosing and the means for floating are sections of loatable material,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 44,631 Hull Oct. 11, 1864 2,733,699 Krinsky Feb. 7, 1956 2,8l6,483 Johnston Dec. 17, 1957 2,817,272 Grinder Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 89,970 Sweden Aug. 10, 1937 727,060 Germany Oct. 26, 1942 1,110,465 France Oct. 12, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES Aviation Week, Vol. 73, No. 24, Dec. 12, 1960, Sea Launch Studied for Space Vehicles, pages 69, 73, 75, 79. 

1. A DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATE MISSILE HAVING A CONICAL-SHAPED NOSE PORTION MERGING INTO A CYLINDRICALSHAPED BODY AND A PLURALITY OF FINS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER IN THE PROXIMITY OF A TAIL END OF THE MISSILE ABOUT SAID MISSILE, THE TAIL END RESTING UPON A BASE MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE GUIDES FIXED TO THE BASE AND EXTENDING THEREFROM ALONG THE MISSILE WITH A GROUP OF TWO GUIDES LOCATED BETWEEN ANY TWO TAIL FINS AS SEEN CONSECUTIVELY ABOUT THE MISSILE, EACH OF THE FINS HAVING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL FACES WHICH EXTEND FROM THE MISSILE BODY, EACH GUIDE HAVING A SURFACE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT A RESPECTIVE FACE OF A FIN SO THAT EACH FIN IS CONFINED TO A SPACE BETWEEN THE GUIDES, EACH GROUP OF GUIDES HAVING A SECTION OF BUOYANT MATERIAL FIXED THERETO AND EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN, THE SECTIONS OF BUOYANT MATERIAL COLLECTIVELY BEING OF SUCH AN AMOUNT SO AS TO FLOAT THE DEVICE IN A BODY OF WATER AND BEING POSITIONED ALONG THE DEVICE SO AS TO FLOAT THE DEVICE IN THE WATER WITH THE NOSE OF THE MISSILE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL OVER THE MISSILE''S TAIL END, THE BUOYANT MATERIAL BEING SHAPED ABOUT THE NOSE PORTION WHEN THE MISSILE IS RESTING ON THE BASE SO THAT UPON THE MISSILE LEAVING THE BASE THE NOSE WILL FORCE THE BUOYANT MATERIAL OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE MISSILE SO AS TO SPREAD THE GUIDES AWAY FROM THE FINS, A PLATE FIXED AT AN ANGLE TO A RESPECTIVE END OF EACH GUIDE AND MEANS FOR JOINING EACH PLATE TO THE BASE SO THAT THE GUIDES ARE BIASED TOWARD THE MISSILE AND SAID BASE HAVING AN OPENING SO THAT UPON FIRING THE MISSILE THE EXHAUST WILL BE VENTED THROUGH SAID OPENING. 